Biblical Basis for Paying Pastors and Teachers
The biblical tradition provides a basis for the financial support of religious leaders, though the specifics and interpretations vary across different eras and traditions. In the Old Testament, the Levitical priests and Levites were supported by the sacrificial system, receiving portions of offerings for their service [14]. For instance, Leviticus outlines regulations for offerings, some of which would be presented to the priest [2, 3].
The New Testament continues this theme, with passages suggesting that those who teach God's message should be financially supported by believers [10]. Paul, for example, discusses the right of ministers to receive compensation for their efforts, comparing it to the support given to priests in the Old Testament [14]. He also states that those who are taught in the word should share all good things with their teacher (Galatians 6:6) [10]. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, discusses the necessity and dignity of the Christian ministry, which implicitly includes their support [4]. Similarly, John of Damascus, in An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, refers to "pastors and teachers" as those who hold a specific office within the church, implying a structured role that would necessitate support [12].
However, the Bible also contains warnings against religious leaders who exploit their positions for financial gain. The prophet Micah condemns the heads of Jerusalem who "judge for reward," the priests who "teach for hire," and the prophets who "divine for money," yet still claim God's presence among them [1]. This passage highlights a tension between legitimate support and avarice, a point noted by commentators who explain that priests were meant to teach the law gratuitously [17].
Rabbinic tradition, as seen in the Babylonian Talmud, also grapples with the concept of payment for teaching. It distinguishes between teaching Bible and teaching Midrash, permitting payment for the former but not the latter [6, 7]. This payment for teaching Bible is sometimes understood as compensation for watching children or for teaching the punctuation and cantillation notes of the text, rather than for the core instruction of the Torah itself [5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16]. This nuanced approach reflects a concern that the sacred act of teaching Torah should not be commodified, while acknowledging the practical need to compensate teachers for their time and effort.
Sources
- King James Version “[KJV] Micah 3:11 — The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.”
- Leviticus “even such as he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Yahweh.” -- Leviticus 14:31”
- Leviticus “But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay. -- Leviticus 27:8”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 85: 2315 CHAPTER 3. OF THE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH. THEIR ELECTION AND OFFICE. The three heads of this chapter are,—I. A few preliminary remarks on Church order, on the end, utility, necessity, and dignity of the Christian ministry, sec. 1-3. II. A separate consideration of the persons performing Ecclesiastical functions, sec. 4-10. III. Of the Ordination or calling of the ministers of the Church, sec. 10-16. Sections . 1. Summary of the chapter. Reasons why God, in governing the Church, uses the ministry of men. 1. To dec”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 183a.73:3: Rav said: As Bible is typically taught to children, one who teaches Bible takes payment for watching the children. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He takes payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 183a.73:1: The Gemara answers: This teaches us that even in a place where one takes payment for teaching, for teaching Bible it is permitted to take payment, but for teaching midrash it is not permitted to take payment.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37a.1: The Gemara answers: This teaches us that even in a place where one takes payment for teaching, for teaching Bible it is permitted to take payment, but for teaching midrash it is not permitted to take payment.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37a.3: Rav said: As Bible is typically taught to children, one who teaches Bible takes payment for watching the children. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He takes payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37b.3: And according to the one who says that the payment for teaching Bible is payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes, and therefore in the case of one for whom benefit from another is forbidden by vow, that other person may not teach his sons and daughters Bible, what is the reason that he did not say that it is payment for watching the children? The Gemara answers: He holds: Do girls need watching? They stay home and are not accustomed to going out.”
- Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 6:6: 6:6-10 In financially supporting those who teach them God’s message (6:6), believers harvest a spiritual crop. 6:6 Supporting Christian teachers applies 5:13 and 6:2 (cp. 1 Tim 5:17-18).”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 183a.73:4: We learned in the mishna that one for whom benefit from another is forbidden by a vow, that other person may not teach him Bible. Granted, according to the one who says that the payment is for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes, this is the reason that he shall not teach him Bible, as teaching punctuation is a component of teaching the biblical text. However, according to the one who says it is payment for watching the students, is an adult one who requires watching, and would payment be taken for doing so? Since the teacher typically”
- CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 91: 24 . , third pastors and teachers 2493 2493 Ephes. iv. 11 . . Let us also honour the martyrs of the Lord chosen out of every class, as soldiers of Christ who have drunk His cup and were then baptized with the baptism of His life-bringing death, to be partakers of His passion and glory: of whom the leader is Stephen, the first deacon of Christ and apostle and first martyr. Also let us honour our holy fathers, the God-possessed ascetics, whose struggle was the longer and more toilsome one of the conscience: who wandered abo”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37a.4: We learned in the mishna that one for whom benefit from another is forbidden by a vow, that other person may not teach him Bible. Granted, according to the one who says that the payment is for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes, this is the reason that he shall not teach him Bible, as teaching punctuation is a component of teaching the biblical text. However, according to the one who says it is payment for watching the students, is an adult one who requires watching, and would payment be taken for doing so? Since the teacher typically doe”
- Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 18:8: 18:8-14 The priests and Levites were to be supported by the sacrificial system (see, e.g., Lev 7:28-36). God’s appointed representatives deserve compensation for their efforts (cp. Matt 10:9-10; 1 Cor 9:3-10).”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37b.4: The Gemara asks: And according to the one who says that the payment for teaching Bible is payment for watching the children, what is the reason that he did not say that it is payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes? The Gemara answers: He holds that the punctuation of the text with cantillation notes is by Torah law; therefore, it is included in the prohibition against taking payment for teaching Torah.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 183a.74:4: The Gemara asks: And according to the one who says that the payment for teaching Bible is payment for watching the children, what is the reason that he did not say that it is payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes? The Gemara answers: He holds that the punctuation of the text with cantillation notes is by Torah law; therefore, it is included in the prohibition against taking payment for teaching Torah.”
- Micah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Micah 3:11: heads thereof--the princes of Jerusalem. judge for reward--take bribes as judges (Mic 7:3). priests teach for hire--It was their duty to teach the law and to decide controversies gratuitously (Lev 10:11; Deu 17:11; Mal 2:7; compare Jer 6:13; Jde 1:11). prophets . . . divine--that is, false prophets. Is not the Lord among us?--namely in the temple (Isa 48:2; Jer 7:4, Jer 7:8-11).”